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Bright Scandinavian Style in a 19th-Century Country House
A family blends modern and vintage elements, including plenty of handmade touches, in a home on a farm in Denmark
This 19th-century country house just outside Odense, Denmark, has been renovated in phases over the years. Its interior is now completely modern yet still respects the history of the building. The decor is a mix of old and new that lends the home a warm, personal touch.
Local lore has it that earlier in the home’s history, neither the upper floor nor the ritzy living rooms were used. It was reportedly so cold in the house that the three siblings who once lived here would dress in the kitchen and sleep together in a single room.
Fortunately, this is no longer the case. Previous owners added good heating and extra insulation.
When Dreymann and her husband bought the farm, it was no longer being used for agricultural production. “No animals are kept in the stables anymore, and today only a few cats and a dog live in the main house,” she says.
The renovation was a group effort. “My husband, Casper, can do almost everything himself, and he renovated this house with the help of good friends,” Dreymann says. “He renovated the whole of the first and second floors with one friend, though the basics had already been done by the time we bought the house. We changed the tiles in the entryway, hallway and bathroom, and we also plastered and painted all of the walls and ceilings. The staircases, wooden floors and kitchen cabinet doors were painted too.”
Long bench: found and freshened up; artwork: made by Dreymann with Indian stamps
Long bench: found and freshened up; artwork: made by Dreymann with Indian stamps
“After moving in, it took four years until we were happy with the look of the house,” Dreymann says.
With her husband in charge of renovating the bones of the house, Dreymann took care of the interior design.
“Our house changes a lot,” Dreymann says. “I really enjoy spending time at home. I’m the type of person who changes their mind all the time. I change my decor because I think there should always be something going on. I always get new ideas that I want to try out. If I want to hang shelves on a wall or replace a sink, we just do it.”
“Our house changes a lot,” Dreymann says. “I really enjoy spending time at home. I’m the type of person who changes their mind all the time. I change my decor because I think there should always be something going on. I always get new ideas that I want to try out. If I want to hang shelves on a wall or replace a sink, we just do it.”
Dreymann likes to use recycled items. She also relates closely to the things she owns, and often breathes new life into them by moving them around or repainting them. She sells the things she can’t reuse or revamp.
Expensive or brand-name items have never been very important to Dreymann. Rather, it’s the feeling an item or piece of furniture evokes that determines whether it will be part of the home.
“I have a bond with my things and I like most of them,” Dreymann says. “Even a small, cheap dish from a sale can mean a lot to me, because price does not determine what I like. We mix bargains and expensive things at home, and I love coming across nice finds that don’t cost a lot. Things don’t have to be by a chic designer. This makes it easier for me to change things up.”
Dreymann collected the porcelain and ceramic dishes pictured here over many years.
Dreymann collected the porcelain and ceramic dishes pictured here over many years.
The dining table is from the couple’s vacation home, while the sideboard is an old workbench they found in one of the barns.
Dreymann’s husband also built some of the furniture and decor items in the home.
Dreymann’s husband also built some of the furniture and decor items in the home.
He built this serving table out of old boards, for example.
He made this display cabinet out of some boards and windows that had been lying in one of the barns.
The couple painted the kitchen when they moved in.
The furniture they built lends a special coziness to the kitchen, Dreymann’s favorite room in the house. She made the artwork with Indian stamps.
A rack is big enough to hang potholders, garlic and onions, citrus, seasonings and fresh herbs.
Dreymann believes in cooking at home and loves being in the kitchen to prepare dinner, make vegetable and herb arrangements or enjoy a cup of coffee at the table.
“It’s just so open, bright, warm and lovely here, and the ceilings are so high. I always enjoy myself here, and we always eat in the kitchen,” Dreymann says.
Next to the dining area is a small living room, which opens to the garden and the large conservatory — another element built by Dreymann’s husband and his friend.
The family spends a lot of time here in the spring and fall.
The family stays at its vacation home by the sea in the summer, so the conservatory helps ease the transition into the colder months.
The conservatory is set up for both dining and lounging.
Back inside the house, the bathroom has a claw-foot tub for soaking. A ladder rack holds towels.
Now, after more than a decade in the home, Dreymann is finally able to look around it with satisfaction, feeling that she and her husband have achieved their vision for it.
“I’m very happy with everything we’ve done,” she says.
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More on Houzz
Read about other homes around the world
Find an interior designer near you
Shop for home products
Who lives here: Lisbeth Dreymann; her husband, Casper; and their teenage daughters, Karoline and Mathilde
Location: Over Holluf, a few miles outside Odense, Denmark
Size: The approximately 4,305-square-foot (400-square-meter) house stands on a 1½-acre lot. The original barn buildings now serve as a garage, workshop and storage area.
Year built: 1887